Shoe-fastener.



PATE NTED OUT. 25, 1904,

' 7 s. H. MARTIN.

SHOE PASTENBRL APPLICATION FILED PEBJQ, 1901.

N0 MODEL.

ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES Patented October 25, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

SHOE-FASTENER. v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 772,947, dated October 25, 1904- Application filed February 19, 1901. Seiial No. 48,025. (No model.) I

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL HARMON MAR- TIN, a'citizen of the United States, residing at Rowlett, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Shoe- Fastener, of which the following is a specification. v

My invention is an improvement in shoe-fasteners, and has for its object to provide a simple, cheap, durable, and neat fastener which is especially designed to take the place of laces.

As is well known, lace-shoes are objectionable in many respects in that one is often subjected to the inconvenience of having the laces break, the eyes to pull out or break, or the 7 showing the strap detached. 7 Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the strap passed through the loop. Fig.4 is a detail section on about line 4: 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, and Figs. 6' and 7 are detail views illustrating the construction of the loop or eye.

In applying my invention to shoes the tops are made of the same shape and design as the ordinary lace-shoe, having the opening in the front thereof, but with the circulareyes and hooks omitted, and in lieu of theseI securely fasten to one side of the opening the ends a of straps A, and to the opposite side of the opening I secure loops B, which are arranged in alinement with the straps and through which the straps are passed to fasten the shoe, as will be presently explained. These loops B may have their lower portion formed with spurs or projections b, which are passed through the facing of the opening and, being clamped upon the inner side thereof, are securely held in place, as shown in Fig. 7; but

shoes.

I do not limit myself to this form of fastening, as any suitable means may be employed.

The straps A have their free ends provided with two rows of holes or eyes a, through which are adapted to pass the shanks of studs 0, the latter being securely held upon the same side of the opening as the ends a of the straps and directly above the same. The

I shanks 0 of the studs C have their outer ends rounded and of a slightly larger diameter than their inner ends, which prevents the straps becoming easily disengaged when fastened, as will be explained later on. In practice I prefer to employ two studs for each strap, as shown, although the number may vary according to the grade of shoe or the width of the straps.

The operation of fastening my shoe-laces is as follows: After the shoe is drawn on the foot the lower or bottom strap is passed through the loop opposite thereto, then bent back upon itself, drawn to any desired degree of tightness, and the eyes in the end of the strap passed over the ends of the studs, and the fastening is complete. The second strap is then likewise fastened until the whole shoe is laced. 'As will be seen, this operation is very simple, requiring little time and when the shoe is laced presents a neat and finished appearance. When the shoe is to be unfastened, it is only necessaryto catch hold of the free ends of the straps, and with a slight outward pullthe straps will become disengaged from the studs, and the. shoe is unlaced.

In making the outer ends of the straps with a series of eyes I provide means whereby the shoe can be adjusted to fit feet of high orlow insteps. v

The advantages of my invention will especially appear when applied to womens shoes, as there are no hooks upon which the skirt can be caught, which is very objectionable and destroys the comfort of wearing lace- Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination with a shoe open in front,

of a flexible strap secured to the inner side of the shoe adjacent one edge of said opening, ranged on the outer surface of the shoe above said strap having a plurality of perforations the inner end of said strap and adapted to enad acent its free end, a metal rectangular gage the perforations in the strap.

l l 5 frame, having a base barbed along its oppo- SAMUEL HARE ION MAR'llN. l i l site edges and rigidly and vertically secured \Vitnesses: t0 the outer surface of the shoe ad acent the J. Hv MAUPIN, opposite edge of the opening, and studs ar- P. MoEN'rnx. 

